Introduction to Biblical Spirituality from Layperson's Angle

A Simple Introduction to Biblical Spirituality

in Non-technical Language

Fr. Freddie  Santhumayor SVD

1.   What is the main theme of the Bible?

The main theme of the Bible is the love-relationship between God and humans. The Bible is a love-story between God and his people. In this love-story, God is like a hero and sinful humanity is like his heroine. God loves humans like a zealous lover who loves his beloved with an exclusive love. However, there is a difference. In the worldly love-story, love between a lover and his beloved may not be always selfless and that pure. Contrary to this, as per the Bible, God loves his beloved selflessly, boundlessly and unconditionally. However, human beings, quite often fail to respond to his love and break off their relationship with him by sinning. Nevertheless, God never abandons his beloved. From the time our first ancestors (Adam and Eve) sinned against him (as narrated by the first Book of the Bible, Genesis), he visualizes a grand plan for the salvation of sinful humans. In order to execute this grand plan he chooses a group (people), namely Israel, through Abraham. Hence, the Israelites are called the chosen people of God. He prepares these chosen people meticulously to receive the promised Messiah and loves them with a zealous and exclusive love. When they go astray, he brings them back through the prophets. Finally, when the appointed time comes, he sends his only Son (Jesus). Through Jesus’ Passion, death and resurrection he saves sinful humans and reconciles them to himself. The Bible unfolds God’s plan of salvation, which culminates in the Passion, death and resurrection of Christ and in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

That is why the core verse in John’s gospel tells us, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life (3:16).” God’s heart is so large and generous that by giving his Son as a gift to a world deprived of intimacy with God, he embraces the whole of humanity – saints and sinners, good and bad, just and unjust people. He gives fully without holding anything back, to the extent of letting his Son die a criminal’s death on the cross.  The purpose of this ‘irrational’ love is to give all those who believe (= put their faith and trust in Jesus) a share in divine life (Jn 3:16).

2.What are the implications of this theme of the Bible for our spiritual life?

When we reflect on the central theme of the Bible, we come to know that there are common elements in God’s infinite and unconditional love in the history of our salvation and our personal life-history. There are also similarities in the history of God’s chosen people and the history of our own Christian community. We can recall to mind how God chose us and loved us boundlessly from first moment of conception and birth till today. The whole of creation, each person who loved (loves) us and each event in our life (sweet or sour) proclaims God’s wonderful love. We can ask God, “Why, me?” and God will always reply, “Why not you?”

Though there were many other tribes and races at the time of Abraham, God chose Israel through him and not the wise Egyptians, the cultured Persians, the civilized Indians or the Chinese. Why? When we think of our own community’s Christian history, a question arises why God called our ancestors to Christian life and not others. From the Bible we come to know that he chooses whom he wants irrespective of one’s worthiness, out of sheer love. Quite often he chooses the unworthy and the little ones and not the powerful ones. The vast majority of Christians in India belong to tribal and Dalit communities. If we ask God why he chose and called mainly tribals and Dalits in India to Christian faith, and not others, the answer is simple: “Why not tribals and Dalits?” If any one of us would ask why our ancestors were chosen, though they were not different from others in our caste/tribe, so that they could transmit faith in Christ to our community/family, the answer is the same.

For example, if we study the history of Mangalorean Christians, we come to know most of them are the descendants of Saraswat Brahmins of Goa who migrated to Kanara (coastal Karnataka) after their con­version to Christianity by the Por­tuguese. Since these Saraswat Brahmins migrated to Goa from their original place on the bank of now extinct Saraswati river in Punjab, they came into contact with Christian faith, and due to some his­torical reasons migrated to Kanara and other parts of India. The Lord of his­tory used all these migrations and historical events to give us the Good News of Jesus Christ. Why? The answer is clear from what is mentioned above.

3.Why do we say that the Bible contains the history of our salvation?

Here the word ‘history’ does not mean scientific history of modern times, which records the happenings exactly and meticulously. Though the Bible contains historical events, they are written from the angle of faith. The authors look at those events with the eyes of faith and interpret them in faith. Hence, the Bible contains the faith-history or faith-records of our salvation from the time of creation and the fall of our first ancestors to the death and resurrection of Christ. God’s eternal plan for our salvation is accomplished through historical events, which are directed by God himself. This continues even today.

4.According to the Bible, how does God love humans? What is special about biblical notion of God?

All the religions speak of God’s love for us. However, the Bible specifies God’s love by saying that God loves us infinitely (boundlessly/unlimitedly) and unconditionally. There is no limit for God’s love; even if we sin against him thousands of times, he is ready to forgive us when we repent. He loves the sinners and the virtuous equally and there are no conditions in his love such as ‘if’ or ‘but’. He loves us even while we sin. He goes in search of sinners. He forgives without any condemnation or punishment.

This insight from the Bible is very relevant to understand the ‘speciality’ of our own faith when we live in a multi-religious context in our country. Our Hindu friends quite often ask us: “Are not all religions the same? What is the difference between Christianity and Hinduism?”

As Christians, we should never show in our arguments that the Hindu religion is inferior or superstitious and our religion is superior. We should not compare our religion with theirs, or should not compare Christ with their gods. It will not make much sense to a Hindu, if we say that Jesus Christ alone rose from the dead, and none of their gods did so. It is offensive to them. By doing so, we are depicting Hindu religion as inferior and their gods as powerless. This is not acceptable to a good Hindu who holds his faith in high regard. Faith in the resurrection is our personal faith, which they may not share.

How wonderful it will be if we could share the biblical revelation of the image of God in this manner: “First of all, as a Christian I respect your Hindu faith and all other religious faiths. I have no intention to force you to accept my faith. I want that you practice your own faith in a better way. However, since you asked me, if you respect my faith, I shall tell you why my Christian faith makes a difference for me. As you say, I also believe that God is one. The God worshipped by Hindus and Christians is the same God. There cannot be two gods. But I am attracted to the concept of God as taught by Christ, which is a little different from what others think about God. Jesus has told us that God forgives sinners without any condition and limit. He loves a sinner even while he/she is sinning. God goes in search of a sinner and forgives him/her without giving any punishment. He is a God, who gives everything freely and asks nothing for himself, not even a sacrifice. (Ref. Lk 15:1-32 & Jn 8:1-11). Though God is one, the image of God as taught by Christ is very appealing to me. This is my personal faith and I have not intention of forcing you to accept this. I believe that your faith is precious to you, just as the path chosen by me is precious to me. Don’t I have the freedom to believe and hold on to what I think is meaningful and precious to me?

5.Why do we say that the Bible contains the “Word of God?”

Just as we express the thoughts of our minds in our words, God too expresses his thoughts and his will through the words of the Bible. By reading and listening to the Bible, we come to know how different God’s thoughts are from our thoughts! In faith, we consider that God himself speaks to us through the words of the Bible and makes his will known to us. When we accept his Word in faith, he influences our minds and moves our will. That in turn may influence our behaviour and action.

Let us take some of the thoughts of Jesus from the gospels and see how they are quite contrary to the world’s way of thinking. The world says, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, but Jesus tells us to show the other cheek, i.e. not to retaliate against those who strike/harm us (Mt 5:38-39); the world says if somebody asks our coat, give only that much, but Jesus tells us to give our cloak as well, i.e. to give out of love a little more than what is asked (Mt 5:40); the world tells us to walk exactly one mile if somebody forces us to walk one mile with him/her, but Jesus tells us to walk an extra mile, i.e. to serve generously without compulsion (Mt 5:41); when the prodigal son returns empty-handed after squandering his share of ancestral property, the world says that such a son should be thrashed and punished, but Jesus tells us to put on robes, ring, sandals and kill the fatted calf for him, because a criminal also deserves mercy (Lk 15:22-23); the world says that those who do more work, deserve higher payment, but Jesus tells us to pay those who come for work at the eleventh hour also the same wages as those who come early morning (= love those who do not deserve to be loved, Mt 20:1-16); the world says that an adulterous woman who is caught red-handed should be punished as per customary/religious/civil law, but Jesus tells us to throw the first stone at her if we are sinless ( = since all of us are sinners, instead of only condemning other sinners, we have to try to reform them, Jn 8:7); the world says that the one who doesn’t commit adultery, fasts twice a week, donates one tenth of his income for charity should be rewarded on the basis is his/her merits, but Jesus tells us that such a ‘religious’ person does not go home justified before God, but a notorious tax-collector does, because he admits his helplessness and total dependence on God (Lk 18:14).

How difficult it is to live by these thoughts! When we are deeply influenced by God’s thoughts and try to live by at least one of them to some extent, the world begins to ask: “Why are you different from others or why do you behave/act differently?” Then it is clear that the Word of God is effective and fruitful as it is written in the Book of Isaiah: “For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth….so shall my Word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it will accomplish that which I purpose” (55:10-11). 

6.What are the wonderful deeds of God according to the Bible?

The Bible proclaims the mighty deeds of God in the history of our salvation, from creation to the death and resurrection of Christ. All his works out of his boundless love for us are called his wonderful/marvellous/mighty deeds. The greatest mighty deed accomplished by God in the OT is the liberation of Israelites from the slavery of Egypt, and in the NT the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Besides, each event in the OT and the NT is a wonderful deed of God for which the Bible invites us to “sing to the Lord a new song” (Ps 149:1), “for the Mighty One has done great things for me (Lk 1:49).

Can you point out to some specific and striking events in your life, in the life of your community and country through which you believe that God has done wonderful/marvellous deeds for you? I believe that God has done the most wonderful deed for us by inspiring the Founding Fathers of India to make our country a democratic republic based on the values of freedom, liberty, equality and fraternity. Without the weapon of universal franchise, what would have been the condition of the poor and the underdeveloped in our country? Is it not true that the Mangalorean Christians were taken into captivity to Srirangapatnam by Tipu Sultan just like the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, and the Lord God did marvellous deeds for them by re-settling a good number of them in their ancestral land after 15 years of agony in Srirangapatnam just as he did to the Jewish community?

7.How to read and understand the Bible?

We do not read the Bible as we read a novel or newspaper. Nor do we read it merely for knowledge and information – though both are needed. The Bible is not a book of history (though many of its teachings are based on historical events) or science, but a faith-document of the Church. It does not teach scientific truths but religious and spiritual truths. It is a Book of Faith. Therefore, we read it from the angle of faith. As St. Ambrose says, “When we pray, we speak to God, but when we read or listen to the Word of God, it is God who speaks to us”. We try to understand what does God tell me (us) here and now and what is his will for me (us) today in my (our) particular situation. In order to understand the message of the Bible, it is necessary to know the various meanings of a biblical text.

8.What are the three levels of meanings of a biblical passage?

(1)Literal Meaning (Sense): That is, understanding the passage as it is written, word for word. This type of understanding is good only when the Bible speaks in plain language, but not for those passages and words that have a symbolic meaning.

(2)Symbolic Meaning (Sense): That is, catching the symbolic meaning of the words and sentences. A symbol is a thing, gesture, word or action, which points to something beyond it. It has an inner meaning, quite different from the literal meaning.

(3)  Spiritual Meaning (Sense): Trying to understand what God wants to tell us through the literal or symbolic meanings of the text and applying his message to our present situation.

Here below are some of the common symbols of the Bible:

S. No.	Symbol	Inner Meaning (= what it signifies)
1.	Shepherd	The one who takes care, guides, leads, nourishes, protects
2.	Light	Holiness, truth, purity, guidance
3.	Darkness	Sin, evil, evil/satanic forces
4.	Water	That which gives life/new life/divine life/holy life, purifies, destroys; Also signifies the Holy Spirit since he is the Giver of Life.
5.	Storm	Doubts and temptations against faith, temptations to commit sin, trials and    sufferings in life
6.	Rock	Firmness, security, strength
7.	King	The one who rules over us; the one who has
		dominion and authority over us
8.	Kingdom of God	God’s rule (dominion) over us; God’s rule of love over our hearts and minds
9.	Salt	That which gives taste, preserves food from decay, purifies
10.	Lamb of God	The one who sacrifices oneself for others; the one who innocently suffers for others’ sake
11.	Marriage/Wedding	God’s intimate relationship with humans
12.	Seed	Word of God (sown in human hearts)
13.	Wine	Joy, abundance
14.	Bread	Food, sustenance, nourishment
15.	Serpent	The one who is cunning and deceitful, that is the devil or Satan
16.	Mountain	God’s dwelling place; meeting point between heaven and earth; stability and power of God
17.	Covenant	The intimate and exclusive relationship between God and Israel is presented in terms of agreement or pact of friendship, benevolence and protection, which existed between two parties in New Testament times.
18.	Cup	Suffering, sacrifice
19.	Dying & rising	Destroying/sacrificing/renouncing & gaining new life/
		holy life/conversion/eternal life
20.	Dove	Holy Spirit (because it refers to the dove which brought the message of new life, destruction of evil, peace and  reconciliation at the time of Noah, Gen 8:10-11). It also signifies innocence (Mt 10:16).

9.How to use these symbols for prayer and reflection?

For prayer and reflection, we need to catch the symbolic sense or inner meaning of some of the words and phrases of the text and move from intellectual understanding of the passage to faith-response. Faith-response means responding to God’s will made known to us by the text, either directly or symbolically. We must keep in mind that through the words of the Bible, which we consider as “the Word of God,” a continual descending and ascending process takes place between God and humans. The descending process involves God’s speaking to us through the text of the Bible, and ascending process involves our response in faith to his invitation.

When the Bible says “I am the Good Shepherd” (Jn 10:11), we need to understand that Jesus leads us, takes care of us, guides us, nourishes and protects us. When we reflect on how he does these things for us and whether we allow ourselves to be led by him, we are already in biblical spirituality. When the Bible says, “Repent, for the Kingdome of heaven has come near” (Mt 4:17), we need to understand that God’s loving rule over our lives cannot be experienced by us, or the nearness of an infinitely loving God cannot be experienced by us unless we change our ways. Then comes the question, which ways or life-style of ours we need to change. When the Bible says, “I am the Bread of Life,” we need to understand that Jesus is our spiritual nourishment and he sustains the divine life in us. Then we need to ask whether Jesus really sustains us, or worldly values/standards. This is the simplest path to biblical spirituality.

10. What types of response are we expected to give to God’s invitation?

After knowing what God wants to tell us or what is his will for us here and now, we need to respond to God in the following manner. Otherwise, the Word of God becomes a ‘one-way traffic’, that is only a conceptual knowledge or information. To be effective, it has to be a ‘two-way traffic’. Let us see what are the responses that we need to give.

I. Personal Response: silently each person has to respond to the invitation given by God through      the message of the prescribed text. The response could be one of the following:

(1)   Faith: By awakening thoughts, which deepen or increase one’s faith. For example: Jesus, I believe that you lead and guide me as a Shepherd. I place myself under your guidance and protection. Lead me… nourish me…I trust in you…

(2) Repentance and conversion: By awakening sentiments of sorrow for the times we have failed to live according to the demands of the Word or according to God’s will as it is made known to us through the message of the reading. For example: Jesus, I am sorry for the times I failed to be your faithful ‘sheep’ (= follower or disciple) and did not heed to your voice; instead heeded to the voice of the world, and imitated all the ways of the world ….

(3) Obedience: By making an act of obedience to God’s will. For example: Lord, when I reflect on your role as a Good Shepherd, I come to know my own role as a shepherd (leader/guide) of my own family and community. Your will is clear that you want me to follow your model. Grant that I may obey your will, become a good leader, and guide in my family/community in your ways.

(4)   Surrender: By making an act of surrender or self-offering before God. For example: Lord, I offer my life to you and put myself under your loving care. You are my Shepherd. Lead me in your steps and do what you want with me.

(5) Commitment: By resolving to deepen our Christian call. For example: Lord, from your holy Word, I come to know how shallow my Christian commitment is. Besides church attendance and reciting a few prayers, I have not tried to live by your values in my daily life. Please deepen my commitment and help me to overcome the superficiality of my faith in you.

(6)  By making prayers of praise and thanks or a petition related to the message. For example: “Loving Lord, I praise and thank you for revealing to us your nature as a guiding, leading, protecting and self-sacrificing shepherd. Grant that I may remain your faithful sheep and pay heed to your voice (call) and follow you even on the way of the cross.

II.     Communitarian Response: During biblical meditation in community, we can do this after personal response in silence after leading the community into reflection on what the Lord wants to tell us. This can be done by reciting a common prayer or singing a hymn by all, which is related to the message of the text. (In the Holy Mass, we do this by singing or reciting the Responsorial Psalm after the first reading and the creed after the homily.)

III. Action-response: In this step we ask, “What can we do about God’s will as we understood from the biblical passage individually or with other members of our community?” or “What does God want me (us) to do about an issue/problem in our community/society related to the message of the text?” This will lead us to some acts of service/charity/social involvement, etc. 

 [The writer can be reached at freddysvd@gmail.com]